Gas-meter.



W. L. BROWN.

GAS METER- APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. 1915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 W. L. BROWN.

GAS METER.

APPLlCATlON man DEC. 1. 1915.

' Patented June 20, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WILLIAM LAIRD BROWN, OF LANSDOWNE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOWILLIAM E.HELME AND JOHN lVIcILI-IENNY, TRADING AS HELME & MGILHENN Y.

GAS-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dune 2U, 19MB.

Application filed December 1, 1915. Serial No. 64,423.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM LAIRD BROWN, a citizen of the United,States, residing at Lansdowne, in the county of Delaware and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrasMeters, whereof the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates particularly to that class of gas meters that areadapted for consumers service, and are ordinarily interposed in the pipeline between the service main and the domestic gas consuming appliances,and is directed especially to the mechanism which effects the actuationof the indicator, and specifically refers to the means for preventingthe backward rotation of such mechanism.

Gas meters of the character above set forth ordinarily comprise abellows by which the gas pressure efiects the rotation of mechanism foractuating the indicating device, and in order to prevent the maliciouscheating by a dishonest consumer by reversing the connection and therebyreversing the actuation of the mechanism so as to decrease the readingof the index, said mechanism is provided with a dog or pawl, which inmeter parlance is commonly termed a click, and which is so pivotallysuspended in the path of the rotatable mechanism as to permit itsrotation in one direction and arrest its r0- tation in the oppositedirection.

As the gas in the service mains is usually of a temperature considerablylower than the consumers service pipes, the gas entering the consumersservice pipes naturally rises in temperature and consequently expands,causing increased pressure which tends to force the gas back through themeter into the service main, and effecting a backward rotation oftheindicating mech anism. If the mechanism happens to be in suchrelation-to the click when the gas is shut off at thegas consumingappliances, as to be engaged by the click, its backward movement wouldbe prevented, and therefore equalization of the pressure of theconsumers service pipes and the service main would be impossible. Suchresulting difference of pressure would effect a strain on the parts ofthe meter mechanism, sufficient to break or permanently deform saidmechanism to such an extent that it would not pass gas candtherebynecessitate its removal, or the deformation might be so slight as tomerely affect its accuracy.

It has been found in practice that the backward movement of the metermechamsm due to expansion of the gas in the consumers service pipe isless than a single revolution. Therefore if said mechanism could be freeto rotate backward to the extent indicated no damage could happen to themeter from such expansion.

The principal objects of my invention are to obviate the difficultiesabove noted by provlding simple and efficient means which will permitsuch backward rotation of the mechanism and arranged to yield thereto ineither direction of rotation of said mechanism, and the other armarranged to be shifted by the backward rotation of said mechanism inpassing said click, into position to arrest said mechanism in its secondattempt to pass sald click while rotating backward.

My invention also includes all of the various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement as hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a gas meterwith the top removed and showing the operative mechanism embodying aclick conveniently constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the click and its cooperativemechanlsm per se,"F1g.

- shown in Fig. 2, as viewed from the left of further describe theiroperation except as said figure; and Fig. 4 is a side elevational view,similar to Fig. 2, showing the click in the position effected by thebackward rotation of the cooperative mechanism and in position toprevent the further rotation of said mechanism.

In said figures the gas meter 5, which is of a w'ell'known constructioncomprises the oscillatory fiagrods 6 and 7 respectively carrying theflag arms 9 and 10 arranged to oscillate as shown by the arrows thereon,and having their free'ends connected by the flag links 12 and 13 withthe tangent arm post 15, which is'carried by the rotatable tangent arm16 having threads 17 by which said tangent arm post 15 may beconveniently adjusted with respect to the axis of rotation of saidtangent arm 16 by means of the jam nuts 18.

. The crank-shaft 19 upon which the tangent arm 16 is carried, isprovided with a worm or spiral 20, the threads of which inter-engage theteeth of the gear wheel 21 which is mounted on the horizontal axle orshaft'22 of the index mechanism 23, whose casing-afiords a bearing forone end of said shaft 22 while the other end adjacent to the gear wheel21 is mounted to rotate in the bracket 25.

The mechanism thus far described is common and well known in themanufacture of gas meters and therefore it is not deemed necessary todwell upon such details or to they cooperate with the click.

The click supporting bridge 26 which is carried by the king post orpedestal 27 and whichafi'ords a convenient bearing for the crank-shaft19 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is provided 'with the transverselyextended slot 29 opening toward the direction of normal rotation of thetangent arm 16 as shown by the arrow insaid figure, and said slot hasits wall 30 inclined downward toward its open end as shown in Figs. 1, 2and 4.

As best shown. in Fig. 1, the bridge 26 is, provided with a notch orrecess 32 which affords parallel bearing projections through late.

which the arbor 33 for supporting the tangent click may extend. In thestructure contemplated the tangent click is formed of a balance pendulum35 and a bellcranklever 36, the arbor 33 not only providing a pintle forthe balance pendulum 35 but the bell-crank-lever being also carried bysaid arbor, thereby affording a common axis upon which said balancependulum and bell-crank-lever may independently oscil- As best shown inFigs. 1 and 3, the bal ance pendulum 35, has its upper-end extendedlaterally to provide a projection37 for engaging the arms 38 and 39 ofthe bell-crank-lever and thereby limiting the relative movement of saidbalance pendulum and bell-crank-lever, and as shown in Figs. 2 and 4said projection extends between said arms.

The normal operation of the meter tends to rotate the mechanism to drivethe tangent arm 16 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, oranti-clockwise which tends to maintain the click in the position shownin which would efiect a backward rotation of the mechanism to cause thetangent arm to rotate in opposition to the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig. 1, or clockwise from its position shown in said figure, itwould engage the arm 38 and rotate the bellcrank-lever from the positionshown in Fig.

2 to the position shown in Fig. 4:, so that said arm 38 would swing freeof the path of said tangent arm as indicated by the dot and dash linesin said figure, and such movement of said bell-crank-lever -would alsoswing the arm 39 into the path of said tangent arm and effect its arrestupon the next succeeding cycle of movement, the bellcrank-lever beingprevented from rotation by engagement of its arm 38 with the inclinedsurface 30 of said slot 29.

My invention is advantageous in that the balance pendulum andbell-crank-lever are mounted to independently oscillate upon a commonarbor.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In meter constructioncomprising rotary mechanism, a click having a bell-crank lever, and abalance pendulum mounted to swing independently of said bell-crank-leverand cooperative therewith tending to yieldingly maintain one arm thereofin the path of said mechanism permitting its unlimited rotation in onedirection, and being oscillated by said mechanism in the first cycle ofrotation in the reverse direction to shift the other arm into anunyielding position to arrest said mechanism in its second cycle ofrotation.

2. In meter construction comprising rotary mechanism, a click having abell-cranklever, and a balance pendulum mounted to oscillate upon acommon axis with said bellcrank-lever, and having a projection exbeingyieldingly retained in the path of said mechanism thereby permitting itsunlimited set my hand in the presence of two subscribrotitionhiii 03c1glirecltlion, and permitting it ing Witnesses. to e s ite y t e reverserotation to yieldingly pass said mechanism, to an un- WILLIAM LAIRDBROVVN' 5 yielding position and presenting the other Witnesses:

arm in position to arrest said mechanism. L. M. RAND,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto O. A. Ko'rTLER.

Comet of thile petemt new be obtained for five cente each, by eddressingthe "Commissioner of Petente,

Wmihinmon, D. C.

